1937 Pontiac Convertible Coupe

My Ride

Updated 5:09 pm, Friday, February 1, 2013

Ron Stanley is a retired vice president and facilities manager of a major financial institution. He and his wife, Penny, are native Alamedans and still live in the island city.

Ron Stanley is a retired vice president and facilities manager of a major financial institution. He and his wife, Penny, are native Alamedans and still live in the island city.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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The completed project hit the road in late 1999, and we have had a grand experience ever since. Needless to say, this is a keeper.

The completed project hit the road in late 1999, and we have had a grand experience ever since. Needless to say, this is a keeper.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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One Sunday morning in 1988, I was browsing through a current issue of Hemming's, and there it was - a 1937 Pontiac Convertible Coupe.

One Sunday morning in 1988, I was browsing through a current issue of Hemming's, and there it was - a 1937 Pontiac Convertible Coupe.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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Being a car guy all of my life means that I've owned more cars through the years than I can remember. Once I hit my fifties, I had a reoccurring thought that when I retired I would like to acquire a 30's-vintage American convertible with a rumble seat.

I finally made the decision to modify and upgrade the car mechanically, but no visible exterior modifications would be made. I installed a small-block GM V8, an automatic transmission and a differential that would be compatible.

I finally made the decision to modify and upgrade the car mechanically, but no visible exterior modifications would be made. I installed a small-block GM V8, an automatic transmission and a differential that

A Ron Francis wiring package and a GM van tilt steering column completed the steering and electrical modifications with an adapted GM power rack.

A Ron Francis wiring package and a GM van tilt steering column completed the steering and electrical modifications with an adapted GM power rack.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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After a couple of calls and an exchange of Polaroid photos by mail (this was before e-mail), a deal was struck - including shipping, since the car was in Colorado and I was in California.

After a couple of calls and an exchange of Polaroid photos by mail (this was before e-mail), a deal was struck - including shipping, since the car was in Colorado and I was in California.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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The car arrived a week or so later, and I was relieved to find that it had been fairly represented. It was far from a trailer queen, but it was a solid original that ran, drove and stopped well. All of the impossible-to-find open car parts were with the vehicle and were serviceable or restorable.

The car arrived a week or so later, and I was relieved to find that it had been fairly represented. It was far from a trailer queen, but it was a solid original that ran, drove and stopped well. All of the

Even though this was sooner than planned, I knew this was it. After a couple of calls and an exchange of Polaroid photos by mail (this was before e-mail), a deal was struck - including shipping, since the car was in Colorado and I was in California.

Even though this was sooner than planned, I knew this was it. After a couple of calls and an exchange of Polaroid photos by mail (this was before e-mail), a deal was struck - including shipping, since the car

I think I upset a few purists in the Pontiac club - but who cares? It's my car. and I am very happy with the end result.

I think I upset a few purists in the Pontiac club - but who cares? It's my car. and I am very happy with the end result.

Photo: Stephen Finerty

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1937 Pontiac Convertible Coupe

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Ron Stanley is a retired vice president and facilities manager of a major financial institution. He and his wife, Penny, are native Alamedans and still live in the island city.

Being a car guy all of my life means that I've owned more cars through the years than I can remember. Once I hit my fifties, I had a reoccurring thought that when I retired I would like to acquire a 30's-vintage American convertible with a rumble seat.

I wasn't in a great hurry, as I had several years before retirement. But as a matter of habit, I was always reading auto-related magazines. One Sunday morning in 1988, I was browsing through a current issue of Hemming's, and there it was - a 1937 Pontiac Convertible Coupe.

Even though this was sooner than planned, I knew this was it. After a couple of calls and an exchange of Polaroid photos by mail (this was before e-mail), a deal was struck - including shipping, since the car was in Colorado and I was in California.

The car arrived a week or so later, and I was relieved to find that it had been fairly represented. It was far from a trailer queen, but it was a solid original that ran, drove and stopped well. All of the impossible-to-find open car parts were with the vehicle and were serviceable or restorable.

It was always my intention to restore the car, but I was in no rush and drove it on weekends for about six months.

Sometime in 1989, the Pontiac went into the garage for what turned out to be a 10-year makeover. I did most of the grunt work and conversion engineering myself, but decided that paint and upholstery would be left up to the professionals.

One of the reasons for the long garage time was the nagging thought that I knew I wouldn't be happy with the stock running gear. In my search for information and some parts, I found a guy living only a few miles from me who was restoring a '39 "woodie," and he needed a drive train. It turned out that my engine was originally from a '39, so I had an eager buyer for my driveline. But then what?

I finally made the decision to modify and upgrade the car mechanically, but no visible exterior modifications would be made. I installed a small-block GM V8, an automatic transmission and a differential that would be compatible. A friend who had a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass wagon with recent major body damage (and a low-mileage drivetrain!) sealed the deal by supplying the donor car, and as they say, the rest is history.

The engine was commandeered by my son for his '68 Chevelle, but the transmission, driveshaft (with no necessary modifications) and differential stripped of its stock mounting brackets and modified to bolt on to the Pontiac's parallel rear leaf springs fit like a glove. A rebuilt, small-block 327 with '92 heads finished off the driveline conversion, and a Ron Francis wiring package and a GM van tilt steering column completed the steering and electrical portion with an adapted GM power rack. Front disc brakes rounded out the upgrade.

I think I upset a few purists in the Pontiac club - but who cares? It's my car. and I am very happy with the end result.

The completed project hit the road in late 1999, and we have had a grand experience ever since. Needless to say, this is a keeper.